Should You Tell Your Attorney Everything?

Short answer – absolutely. Your attorney has a duty to represent you to the best of their ability. The only way your attorney can provide effective representation is if they have all the information, and the only way your attorney can get the necessary information is if you divulge all the relevant facts. Failure to disclose important information to your attorney can have serious and long-lasting ramifications for your case.

Each case is different. While in some cases, some seemingly insignificant fact might truly be insignificant, in other cases that small details might make a world of different. Instead of trying to make these types of decisions on your own, the safe bet is just to tell your attorney everything and let them make the ultimate decision. By erring on the side of caution and giving your attorney what you might perceive as too much information, the attorney can use their best judgment to pick out the relevant facts that help your case. This will allow the attorney to make the appropriate strategic decisions for you.

Lawsuits are complicated, personal and raw. Whether you’ve been injured in a motor vehicle collision or dealing with the emotional strain of a divorce the facts of your case might be private and even messy. We are not here to judge you or your actions. In fact, it’s very likely that we’ve heard similar facts before. And, remember, with very few exceptions, everything you tell your lawyer is protected by attorney-client privilege. Let that be the shield that protects your confidences, and please tell us everything.

If you really don’t want to divorce, tell us. We can work cooperatively with your spouse and see if reconciliation is plausible. If you have a prenuptial agreement or another complicating factor, your attorney needs to know. Withholding this type of relevant information only puts your case further behind. If you or your spouse sent a drunken midnight text promising to give away all the community assets, your first phone call the next morning should be to your attorney. While Washington is a no-fault divorce state, all information is important for purposes of negotiation and resolution.

The less your attorney knows about you, your family, your claim, and your life, the more likely it is your attorney won’t be sufficiently prepared for the opposition’s arguments. On the other hand, the more details you provide, the more likely you are to receive effective representation and reach positive and amicable outcomes.

If you have questions about your lawsuit or your divorce, please feel free to call our qualified attorney at Magnuson Lowell, PS. We are dedicated to learning everything about your case so that we can properly represent your best interests.

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